1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to crop support systems, and, more particularly, to an improved method and trellis post or support system that enables tensioned wires to be easily moved and/or secured in place to provide improved support to growing crops, to produce improved crop yields and to enable the crops to be more efficiently grown.
2. Description of Related Art
As is well known, crops, such as apples, cherries, grapes, kiwis, hops, etc. are usually planted in substantially parallel rows in fields, orchards, or vineyards where the foliage and growing crops are supported on tensioned wires held in trellis systems. Known systems use aligned trellis posts of various sizes utilizing tensioned wires that pass through various shaped notches or slots in adjacent posts. Foliage is trained to grow over the tensioned wires, and as the foliage grows, the growing crop, such as grapes, etc. is also trained so as to be supported by the tensioned wires. The tensioned wires must be removed from the supporting notches or slots in each trellis post and moved with the growing foliage and crop supported thereon to further notches or slots where the tensioned wires must be reinserted, so as to be supported to allow the crop to grow more efficiently.
Although current trellis posts contain notches or slots that work in limited situations, for limited periods of time, problems occur if the field, orchard, or vineyard are slopped, or uneven, or a row of trellis posts is not properly aligned. Additionally, the weight of growing foliage and crops can pull the tensioned wires from the notches or slots in existing trellis posts. Furthermore, because of the shape of the notches or slots in existing trellis posts, it is sometimes difficult to remove a tensioned wire from a first notch or slot and move it to a second, particularly, with a heavy load of foliage and crops thereon. Many attempts have been made to change the shape of these notches or slots so that they work more effectively, however, the known notches or slots still do not overcome the above-indicated problems.
Examples of know posts with various shaped notches and slots for different reasons are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 200,153; 536,956; 794,845; 839,723; 1,023,880; 1,028,630; 1,050,589; 1,117,214; 1,179,862; 1,495,379; 3,776,522; 4,223,872; Des.420,153; and Des.413,682. However, none of these known posts contain notches or slots that overcome the known problems
Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an improved trellis post that will positively hold tensioned wires in specifically designed notches, no matter what terrain the trellis posts are used in, and which allow loaded tensioned wires to be more easily withdrawn from the notches, moved and reinserted into a further notch, as foliage grows. The present invention provides such an improvement and overcomes the aforementioned problems inherent with the use of known trellis posts or stakes. This is accomplished by providing a generally triangular-shaped trellis post, which has two opposed rows of notches into which wires may be selectively securely fastened. The trellis post is preferably made from metal, and includes notches with specifically shaped vertical side portions to enable tensioned wires to be easily inserted into and removed from the notches, and to more securely hold tensioned wires in position in the notches.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved trellis post. It is a particular object of the present invention to provide an improved trellis post for fruit, or other crops, that more readily and securely holds wires in position. It is another particular object of the present invention to provide an improved trellis post that has a plurality of specifically formed notches therein. It is yet another particular object of the present invention to provide an improved trellis post made from metal that includes notches that are sized and dimensioned so as to securely support tensioned wires therein, and which notches allow the tensioned wires to be easily removed from one notch and moved to a further notch on the same trellis post. And, it is yet a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved method of growing crops in a tensioned wire trellis post system having notches that allow tensioned wires to be positively and securely held in position, as well as easily inserted and removed.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a trellis post having angled side legs secured together, and having rows of specifically shaped wire holding notches therein. Each of the wire holding notches includes a front horizontal slot connected to different shaped vertical side holding areas for positively capturing a wire therein, and which also allows the wire to be easily inserted into and removed from a notch.